Duplicate 3D Node

Duplicate 3D is the 3D equivalent of the 2D Duplicate: it reproduces a geometry N times, applying a cumulative or linear transform to each copy. Combined with the Jitter tab, it lets you break the mechanical look of the pattern by adding random variations.

Watch the cost: each copy is a new instance in the scene. With a complex mesh and 100 copies, render times climb fast. Prefer simple geometry (cube, shape) for massive duplication.

• Effects Library: Tools > 3D > Duplicate 3D
• Quick add: right-click in the Node Editor → Add Tool > 3D > Duplicate 3D

• SceneInput (orange) - required. The 3D geometry or scene to duplicate.
• MeshInput (green) - only appears when the Region menu is set to Mesh. Accepts a mesh used as a containment volume to filter the displayed copies.

Typical workflow:

1. Cube 3D (or any geometry) → Duplicate 3D
2. Set Copies and the translation/rotation/scale increments
3. Plug the output into a Merge 3D

First Copy / Last Copy (default: 0 / 10)

Range of displayed copies. Setting First Copy = 1 excludes the original (copy 0) and only shows the duplicates. Useful to make copies "appear" progressively by animating Last Copy.

Time Offset (in frames)

Time offset applied to each copy. If your source geometry is animated (for example a rotation), each copy plays that animation with a delay. Instant "cascade" effect.

Transform Method (default: Linear)

• Linear - each copy applies transform × copy number to the original position. The 3rd copy lands at 3× the translation, regardless of the previous ones.
• Accumulated - each copy starts from the position of the previous copy and applies the transform on top. Enables spiral, helix and consistent staircase effects.

Transform Order

Order in which transforms are computed. Default: Scale → Rotation → Translation. Changing this order radically changes the result - for example Rot before Trans rotates around the global origin then moves away, while Trans before Rot moves away then rotates around the new position.

Translation (X, Y, Z) (in Fusion units)

Offset applied between each copy, on all three axes.

Rotation (X, Y, Z) (in degrees)

Rotation applied between each copy. The Rotation Order buttons (XYZ, YXZ, ZXY, …) set the order in which the three rotations are applied.

Scale (X, Y, Z) (default: 1.0)

Scale factor applied to each copy. In Accumulated mode, a scale of 0.9 creates a "shrinking fractal" effect (each copy is 90% of the previous one).

Pivot

Point around which the rotation happens. Crucial for circular patterns: an offset pivot lets you rotate around an axis outside the object (wheel, Ferris wheel, pendulum).

Adds a random variation per copy to break the mechanical uniformity. Useful to simulate a "natural" arrangement (paving stones, leaves, debris).

Random Seed

Seed of the random generator. Same seed, same layout - handy for a reproducible jitter.

Randomize Button

Picks a new random seed.

Jitter Probability (0.0 - 1.0, default: 1.0)

Percentage of copies that get a variation. At 0.3, only 30% of the copies are disturbed, and the remaining 70% strictly follow the pattern. Useful for "mostly uniform but with occasional outliers" patterns.

Translation / Rotation / Scale / Pivot Jitter

Variation amount for each attribute, on X, Y, Z. Each value sets the max ± range around the nominal value.

Filters copies based on their position. For example, it lets you duplicate broadly and then keep only the ones that fall inside a specific volume.

Region Mode

• Ignore region - all copies shown (default).
• When inside region - only the copies inside the volume.
• When not inside region - the opposite (cuts a hole in the pattern).

Region Shape

Volume shape: Cube, Sphere, Rectangle, Mesh (uses the green input), or All (the whole scene).

Mesh options

Only available in Mesh mode: Winding Rule (fill rule), Ray Direction and filtering by Object ID.

1. Staircase

Flat Cube 3D (small Size Y) → Duplicate 3D:

• Copies = 15
• Transform Method = Accumulated
• Translation Y = 0.2, Z = 0.4

Each step sits on the previous one.

2. Circle of columns

Shape 3D cylinder → Duplicate 3D:

• Copies = 12
• Transform Method = Linear
• Rotation Y = 30° (360 / 12)
• Pivot Z = -2 (radius of the circle)

3. Spiral (DNA)

Shape 3D sphere → Duplicate 3D:

• Copies = 60
• Transform Method = Accumulated
• Translation Y = 0.1
• Rotation Y = 15°

4. Cascading animation

On a geometry with an animated rotation (e.g. a cube spinning from 0° to 360° between frames 1 and 60), set:

• Copies = 10
• Time Offset = -3 (frames)
• Translation X = 0.5

Each copy plays the animation 3 frames ahead of the previous one: an offset wave effect.

5. Random forest

Imported tree (FBX) → Duplicate 3D: a large number of copies, minimal translation + strong Jitter Translation on X/Z, Jitter Rotation Y at 180° (varied orientations), Jitter Scale 0.3 (varied sizes). Enable Region Mesh to keep the forest inside a defined terrain.

• Always test first with Copies = 3, then go up - you will save time before the viewport starts to lag.
• Linear vs Accumulated: if the copies "fly off" in strange ways, check this setting, it is the #1 cause of surprises.
• For regular patterns, disable jitter until the base pattern is approved.
• Watch the Pivot: a misplaced pivot gives unexpected paths - display the axes in the 3D viewer to understand where the copy rotates from.
• Time Offset combined with an existing animation enables rich cinematic effects without writing a single extra keyframe.
• For very dense patterns (>200 copies), look at Replicate 3D instead, which offers placement on points or particles that suits this better.

The Settings tab has the options shared by 3D nodes (visibility, lighting, blend mode, object ID).